Cigarette extinguishing device



March 1959 I R. N. MARTIN ETAL 2,879,776

CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 6, 1957 (/0 FIG,

INVENTORS RAYMOND N. MNQTIN dg l -iN R. MARTIN ATTORN EYS United States Patent I v 2,879,776 CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHING nnvrcn Raymond N. Martin, Providence, and John Raymond Martin, Warwick, RJ.

Application September 6, 1957, Serial No. 682,352

3 Claims. (Cl. 131256) This invention relates to a cigarette extinguishing device of a type which may be used in various places, such for instance as on the dash or back of the seat of an automobile, in connection with an ashtray of the type which rests upon a table, desk or such support, or in various locations where the position of the device will remain substantially constant and not inverted or tipped upon its side to discharge a liquid content therefrom.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device which will be of inexpensive construction and in which a liquid such as water may be readily supplied, such for instance, as by filling a bottle and attaching the bottle to the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control of the liquid which is used so that only the required amount to extinguish a cigarette may be present at any one time for use in extinguishing a cigarette.

Another object of the invention is to transfer the liquid water which is used by means of a wick and control the supply of water to the end of the wick.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which may be easily formed in a solid base or member by providing suitable borings or recesses in the member connected in such a way that the device will function as desired.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ashtray equipped with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the relation of the various borings in the base of the ashtray to provide the desired construction.

In proceeding with this invention, we have provided some sort of a solid member which may be a base and bore into this base to provide a liquid sump, also an air vent to the reservoir and a cigarette receiving opening connectedto the sump. A wick or sponge which will transmit water is provided, said wick extending from the cigarette receiving opening to the sump so as to pick up and transmit liquid to the end of the wick or sponge, providing ready access of such liquid for extinguishing a cigarette when placed in contact therewith; and in order in further control the supply of water through this wick or sponge, We have at one point intermediate its ends restricted the cigarette receiving opening so as to compress the wick or sponge at such location and limit the supply of water which may be passed along the wick or sponge to the end which has access to the cigarette.

With reference to the drawings, designates a base which may have the form of an ashtray with an ash receiving trough 11 from which arched shaped recesses 12 extend by reason of being gouged out of the base material adjacent to the trough for receiving a cigarette in a horizontal position to prevent rolling of the same.

, 2 The base is bored or molded to provide a threaded opening 13 into which a bottle 14 may be 'screwed so as to .be substantiallysealed with the base 10. This bottle may contain liquid water 15 to act as a reservoir for the water to be dispensed as hereinafter indicated. A vent conduit 16 is provided by boring into the base 10 or by suitable other means so as to connect with the sump 17 provided by the bore 12. A cigarette receiving conduit is provided by boring into the base or otherwise providing the conduit at 18 by means of the opening 19. This conduit also connects with the sump 17 by a restricted portion 20. The diameter of the opening 19 and the diameter of the end of this opening 21 are of ditferent sizes with the smaller size being adjacent to the sump 17.

The position of the end portion 22 of the vent 16 controls the water level in the conduit 17, that is, when the bottle 14 is filled with water and in an inverted position screwed into the base to provide a seal therewith, the only way in which air may get into the bottle to replace the water which runs therefrom is through the vent 16, the conduit 18 and its restricted portion 20 being no higher than the level 23 and, in most cases, below the level of the high point 22 of the lower end of the air vent. Thus, this level 23 at the high point of the air vent when it is blocked off by the liquid in the sump 17 to the height of this level 23 will prevent further air from entering the sump and the bottle and thus will control the level of the liquid of this level 23 in the device. This level would normally also be reached in the conduit 19 and its restricted portion 21 as shown by the dotted line 23.* As water is removed to lower the level, air will enter through vent 16 bubble by bubble and permit water to fill the sump to the level 23.

However, in order to more effectively control and to spread out the liquid for access to a cigarette when placed into the opening 19, we position a wick which may conveniently'be a sponge or synthetic sponge in the opening 19 and sump 17 which normally will be of a size substantially the diameter of the opening 19. But as this sponge 24 or wick is forced through the restricted portion 21 of the conduit into the sump, it will be compressed as at 25 and thus will restrict the flow of liquid to the outer end or expanded portion 26 of the sponge which is exposed for contact by a cigarette placed into the opening 19 of conduit 18. The sponge will also be expanded at its inner portion 27 as shown in the drawing, but this expanded portion 27 of the sponge will be of a size and be so inserted in the device that there will be left a free portion 28 of the sump, thus allowing free access of air from the vent conduit 16 to the sump at its location and then into the reservoir.

As the liquid is taken from the sponge by absorption by a cigarette and the level becomes lower, air will enter at 16 allowing water to run into the sump and be replaced by a-ir above the water in the bottle 14. If it becomes necessary to replenish the water, it is merely necessary to remove the bottle by unscrewing it from its place, filling the bottle, and returning it to position.

We claim:

1. A cigarette extinguishing device comprising a body with a liquid sump therein, a sealed gravity supply reservoir of liquid communicating with said sump, a vent conduit communicating with the sump to control the liquid level in the sump to the most elevated portion of the entrance of the vent into the sump, an open upper ended cigarette receiving conduit in addition to said vent conduit extending from a point below the liquid level of the sump upwardly to a location accessible for insertion of the end of a cigarette and a wick having a portion located below the liquid level in the sump and extending into the cigarette receiving conduit and above said liquid level swam . 3 v .7 '4 therein to convey water to a-position to be contacted by and said wick is compressed intermediate its ends in said a cigarettewhen inserted in the open end of said conduit. restricted portion.

2. A cigarette extinguisher as in claim 1 wherein said fl g fl ei n vn u t i8 i fl adjacent Sa References Cited in the file of this patent sump and said thick is compressed in said restricted 5 Portion. UNITED STATES PATENTS 3. A cigaretteextingpisher as in claim 1 wherein said 2,059,137 Montjoy Oct. 27, 1936 cigarette receiving conduit is restricted adjacent said sump 2,112,907 Gregory Apr. 5, 1938 

